According to the present invention there is provided a mat and a method of manufacturing a mat. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a drip mat and a method of manufacturing a drip mat.
A drip mat is an absorbent mat that is placed on a bar counter to absorb drips and spilled drinks. The present invention is not limited to drip mats but also includes other types of mat such as floor mats, in particular printed floor mats carrying advertisements or other promotional matter, and pads, blotters, multi-layer items, articles, assemblies, pieces, textile materials, composites, or the like. For many years, towels have been used on bars to absorb drips and spilled drinks. However, these have the disadvantage that liquid can soak through the towel onto the surface of the bar.
It is known to provide a drip mat having a fabric layer of tufted cut pile polyester and a rubber backing layer that is vulcanised to the back of the fabric layer. The fabric layer absorbs liquid and the rubber backing layer prevents this liquid from running through onto the surface of the bar. An image may be printed onto the fabric layer by transfer printing, allowing the drip mat to carry an advertisement or other matter. The drip mats are washable by immersion and agitation in water or other cleaning fluid, followed by spin extraction and tumble drying.
There are a number of disadvantages associated with these drip mats. The polyester fabric is hydrophobic and does not have good absorbency. Moisture is therefore slow to soak in and the mat remains feeling wet for a long time. The fabric also has a very limited moisture capacity, with the result that liquid tends to run off the sides of the mat, particularly if it is too wet or when it is lifted. Although the fabric can be printed, the quality of the print is generally not very good, owing to movement of the pile during or after printing. The mat is also difficult to wash, particularly if it is contaminated with oily substances, for which the polyester fabric has a natural affinity.
For improved absorbency, we have tried blends of different fibres, for example polyester and cotton. However, such fabrics are dimensionally not very stable and they tend to fray at the edges. This can be overcome by treating the edges, for example by over stitching the edges or by back coating the fabric with rubber latex, but this increases the cost of the manufacturing process.
The known mats are generally made by vulcanising the rubber backing layer to the back of the fabric layer, and then trimming off the edges of the rubber backing layer to leave a visually attractive rubber border around the fabric layer. However, trimming the edges of the rubber backing layer is labourious, and if the border is not of uniform width, the mat looks untidy. Laying up the fabric and backing layers prior to placing them in the heated press is also time consuming and the manufacturing process is therefore slow and expensive.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mat, pad, blotter, multi-layer item, article, assembly, piece, textile material, composite, or the like and a method of manufacturing a mat that mitigate at least some of these disadvantages.
According to one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a mat having a fabric layer and a rubber backing bonded to the fabric layer, wherein the fabric layer includes a knitted polyester fabric. The knitted fabric resists fraying, making it possible to produce a mat with cut edges and no rubber borders. Manufacturing costs are therefore low. The fabric is also absorbent, it wicks well, is launderable, is colourfast, is durable, provides for high resolution printing, is dimensionally stable and it prints well.
Advantageously, the fabric layer includes a microknitted polyester fabric, preferably a warp-knitted plush polyester fabric. The fabric may be made from a pile yarn and a ground yarn. The pile yarn is preferably a micro-denier yarn of less than or equal to 1.1 denier. The ground yarn is preferably a monofilament of no less than 10 denier, or alternatively it may be a multi-filament yarn. Advantageously, the fabric is substantially as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,273, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein. The microknitted fabric is treated to provide good water holding capacity and wicking ability.
Advantageously, the fabric has weight of from two to twenty ounces per square yard, preferably seven to nine ounces per square yard. It is therefore dense, which prevents rubber from being pressed through the fabric layer during curing.
Advantageously, the fabric has a first face that in the finished mat is the exposed face of the fabric layer, and said first face (the technical back of the fabric) is sanded, brushed, napped, or otherwise treated to break or raise the surface, so as to form a plush or pile. This provides for a good print quality. Preferably, the first face of the fabric is sanded to produce a pile or velour. The first face of the fabric also has the most overlaps, which enhances or facilitates absorption, wicking, density, and the like.
Advantageously, the fabric has a second face that in the finished mat is bonded to the rubber backing. The second face (the technical front of the fabric) is advantageously relatively smooth and has little stretch.
Advantageously, the fabric is chemically treated to render it hydrophilic. For example, the fabric may be treated with an anionic-ethoxylated sulfonated polyester and a high molecular weight ethoxylated polyester. This treatment allows the polyester fabric to absorb water very rapidly and promotes wicking through the fabric, with the result that the surface of the fabric quickly feels dry to the touch. The treatment also helps to prevent staining, improves washing performance and reduces creasing.
Advantageously, the fabric is at least one of hydrophilic, absorbent, wicking, launderable, printable, non-fraying, dimensionally stable, colourfast, and combinations thereof.
Advantageously, the fabric layer has a textured surface that includes raised and/or recessed surface formations. This greatly increases the water holding capacity of the fabric. The surface formations may have a height of 0.1-2.0 mm, preferably 0.2-0.5 mm and an average surface area of 0.2-100 mm2, preferably 1.0-20 mm2, and may be randomly distributed over substantially the whole of the fabric layer. The surface formations may be formed on the face of the rubber backing that is bonded to the fabric layer.
Advantageously, the fabric layer is printed and preferably the mats have printed borders. This simplifies the process of separating the mats.
Advantageously, the fabric layer covers substantially the whole of one face of the rubber backing and the fabric layer has cut edges, such a mat being very simple to manufacture. The rubber backing may have a thickness of 0.5-5 mm, preferably 1-3 mm. The mat may be suitable for use as a drip mat, a table cloth or mat, or a floor mat.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a mat having a fabric layer and a rubber backing bonded to the fabric layer, wherein the fabric layer is chemically treated to render it hydrophilic.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a mat having a fabric layer and a rubber backing bonded to the fabric layer, wherein the fabric layer has a textured surface.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided an assembly or item having an upper fabric layer and a lower liquid impervious or impermeable layer or backing attached, adhered, bonded, stitched, sprayed, coated, welded, glued, tacked, needled, melted, laser cut, and/or the like thereto or thereon.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a mat, pad, blotter, composite, or the like having a fabric layer and a liquid impervious or impermeable baking layer. Advantageously, the fabric layer is treated to be hydrophilic or is formed of hydrophilic fibres.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a mat, pad, or the like having a fabric layer which is constructed, treated, and backed. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a mat, pad, article, composite, assembly, or the like having an upper surface that is absorbent, wicking, hydrophilic, printable, launderable, and/or combinations thereof and a lower surface that is impervious to liquids, durable, dimensionally stable, and/or combinations thereof.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a mat or pad having a fabric layer and a rubber backing, wherein an uncured rubber backing sheet is cured and bonded to a sheet of fabric in a heated press to form a rubber-backed sheet, and the rubber-backed sheet is cut up into individual mats. By making several mats in one pressing operation the method is made more efficient. Aligning the fabric and the backing sheet requires only one operation. Because the mats do not have borders there is no trimming operation and reduced wastage.
Advantageously, the fabric layer includes a knitted or tricot polyester fabric, which does not fray and so avoids the need for hemming or sealing the edges of the fabric.
Advantageously, an image is printed onto the fabric layer during the curing and bonding process in the heated press. All the mats can be printed in a single operation, from a single transfer sheet, reducing alignment problems and allowing more efficient printing. Advantageously, the image includes a plurality of printed margins and the rubber-backed sheet is cut up along the printed margins to separate the individual mats, which makes cutting out very simple.
Advantageously, the fabric is chemically treated to render it hydrophilic, preferably before the pressing operation. Advantageously, the fabric is chemically treated with an anionic-ethoxylated sulfonated polyester and a high molecular weight ethoxylated polyester.
Advantageously, the fabric layer is provided with a textured surface which may be formed by pressing the fabric layer against a texture sheet during the curing and bonding process in the heated press.
Advantageously, the fabric layer comprises a warp-knitted fabric of at least three-bar construction, said fabric being comprised of multi-filament synthetic pile yarns on the technical back that are raised or broken to produce a plush surface, and monofilament synthetic ground yarns on the technical face, wherein at least one of said yarns and fabric are hydrophilic. The fabric may, for example, be as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/527,629, filed Mar. 17, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a mat having a fabric layer and a rubber backing, wherein an uncured rubber backing sheet is cured and bonded to a sheet of fabric in a heated press to form a rubber-backed sheet, the fabric being chemically treated to render it hydrophilic.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a mat having a fabric layer and a rubber backing, wherein an uncured rubber backing sheet is cured and bonded to a sheet of fabric in a heated press to form a rubber-backed sheet, and the fabric is provided with a textured surface.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a mat or pad having a fabric layer and a rubber backing, wherein an uncured rubber backing sheet is cured and bonded to a sheet of fabric in a heated press to form a rubber-backed sheet, said sheet of fabric including a warp-knitted plush polyester fabric.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a mat having a fabric layer and a rubber backing, wherein the fabric is at least one of hydrophilic, absorbent, wicking, launderable, printable, non-fraying, dimensionally stable, colourfast, and combinations thereof. According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a mat manufactured by the method described herein.